Connection Archives ⋆ Mike and Susan Dawson

Unhealthy Marriage Patterns: Building Walls in Marriage

Michael Dawson2026-10-15T15:30:59-05:00Connection, Emotion|

Marriage was designed by God to be a place of love, safety, intimacy, and connection. But in many marriages, couples slowly fall into unhealthy marriage patterns that create distance instead of closeness. One of the most common patterns is building emotional walls in marriage. These walls are not made of brick and stone. They are made of fear, hurt, disappointment, mistrust, criticism, and emotional self-protection. When one or both spouses begin to build walls, the relationship can start to feel lonely, tense, and disconnected. If your marriage feels this way today, you are not alone. Many couples develop emotional walls when they no longer feel safe, understood, or valued. The [...]

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3 Ways Compromise will Make Your Relationship Great Again

Glenn Kimball2024-01-08T01:12:52-06:00Connection, Marriage|

So many couples today still view the term “compromise” as if it were the same as one of those nasty four-letter words. To them, compromising means to “give in” to someone else’s wants — even if theoretically the idea is to meet in the middle. No one wins with compromise. Inevitably, someone will always get the short end of the stick. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Unless you’re making a moral compromise. Relational compromise — especially when trying to resolve conflict in a healthy way — is usually very positive. “Compromise is not about losing. It is about deciding that the other person has just as much right [...]

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Oneness With Your Spouse Doesn’t Mean Becoming the Same

Glenn Kimball2024-01-08T01:12:53-06:00Connection|

I wanted to open this week’s blog post with this passage from the Book of Genesis about oneness. It says: “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” This passage is about oneness and being united in marriage, but we often misunderstand the message and think that we must also be the same. In other words, there shouldn’t be any differences allowed if we are one and the same. As we continue our conversation about our differences and not allowing them to [...]

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Connected Couples Need a Movie Theater Attitude

Michael Dawson2026-04-24T16:52:04-05:00Attitude, Connection|

Susan and I love going out to the movie theater together. But it never ceases to amaze us how differently we view what we watched. We were in the same theater. We both saw the same actors on screen. The script was the same, and more often than not, we leave the theater with that “good movie feeling.” And yet, it’s almost always for different reasons. It's all about our movie theater attitude. “That was great!” I’ll say excitedly. “It was full of action and suspense.” “Wait?! What movie did you just watch?” Susan says with her adorable laugh. “I thought it was romantic but also sad.” Has this ever [...]

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Simple Ways We Supercharge Connection in Our Marriage

Michael Dawson2026-04-24T16:52:03-05:00Connection|

Susan and I have been married for 39 years! Thank you. Thank you; we’ll hold for the applause! In all seriousness, though, we believe marriage is important. And we think it’s important because God began by the connection of a man and a woman together to fulfill His purpose for this earth and this life. We also believe marriage is the most powerful earthly relationship we can have — we need to be united and connected. To that end, I always ask my couples to tell me their “why.” In other words, what was it that attracted you to your spouse? What were the characteristics about each other that made [...]

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Compromise isn’t giving up my way – It’s Making our Relationship Great!

Glenn Kimball2024-01-08T01:13:54-06:00Connection, Control|

Susan and I believe there is a misconception among couples about the term “compromise.” They think it means they have to meet in the middle every time and that each will give up a lot of things to make that happen. As a result, they can’t help but look at compromise as a bad word. How they get there just … feels … yucky — and everyone loses. Honestly, folks, compromise shouldn’t be that way! You have needs. I have needs. We have needs together! So, let’s compromise! A compromise (or compromising) should be a win-win for both the husband and wife. It’s where both of you feel good about [...]

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Positive Communication: Intent vs. Impact

Glenn Kimball2024-01-08T01:13:56-06:00Communication, Connection|

Wouldn’t it be great to know that when you’re talking to your spouse, what you’re trying to say is received exactly how you intended? Of course, it would! Communicating would be so much easier — no miscommunications, no arguments, no need to over-explain yourself to a spouse who you swear must have heard you wrong. Perfect, Positive communication! But we all know that usually doesn’t happen. And why is that? It’s because you speak through, and your spouse listens through different filters. We all talk through and receive through our own filters, and they are governed by our: Some of our Communication Filters Individual personalities The way we communicate Previous [...]

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Putting good things into your marriage: Rituals of Connection

Michael Dawson2026-04-24T16:52:03-05:00Connection, Emotion|

Every couple and each marriage are unique. But having worked with and spoken to as many married couples as we have over the years, it is clear that the ones who are at their absolute happiest together — the ones who are continually putting good things into their marriage — share a lot of striking similarities and rituals of connection that ultimately help them feel safe and connected. Display a healthy amount of fondness and admiration for one another. Are in love and look for ways to have fun together. They have more heart talk than work talk. Meeting each other’s emotional needs is paramount to [...]

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Unhealthy Marriage Patterns: Building Walls

Glenn Kimball2024-01-08T01:14:15-06:00Connection, Safety|

If we asked Superman to stand in front of a brick wall and tell us who is on the other side, he could easily use his X-ray vision to see straight through, right? He’d be able to tell us all sorts of details, too, from something as simple as what that person looks like to quickly discerning if they are happy, sad, scared, or even in danger. And if necessary, he could break through the wall to help them. But what if we put you in front of the same wall? Could you match Superman’s feat? Of course not! And in this scenario, you’d be okay with that. After [...]

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Marriage Setbacks You Need to Know

Glenn Kimball2024-01-08T01:14:55-06:00Blame, Connection|

My dad had his private pilot's license when I was growing up and I was always fascinated and scared to death to fly with him. He seemed unsure about different aspects of getting the plane off the ground. My kid's memory pictures him covering his checklist 5 times where more experienced pilots were good with one run through. He was a CPA, so every box needed to be checked and then double-checked. I could have viewed this as a setback but because I expected it, it was annoyingly comforting. Listening to the tower and their instructions to change headings and altitude always seemed confusing. I never really could understand what [...]

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